Ukraine preparing for war despite peace talks

Preview and reports of a Summit in Astana, Kazakhstan, 15-16 January 2015 of the key parties trying to negotiate a settlement of the civil war in Ukraine - this included representatives of the Ukrainian government, separatist forces from eastern Ukraine, Russia, France and Germany.

Commentators noted an increased number of ceasefire violations, the majority occurring in and around the Donetsk airport.

[12.01.15: DW reported that the foreign ministers of Germany, Ukraine, Russia and France had failed to find enough common ground to go ahead with the Astana summit. This ended the latest attempt to resolve the Ukraine crisis.]

• Primary Source

Sputnik International, 04.01.15: Meeting in Astana Could Become 'Catalyst' for Minsk Talks: DPR Envoy http://sputniknews.com/europe/20150104/1016505416.html

ESO: Key Source: Euromaidan - Protests in Ukraine 2013 - 2015 - Key source http://www.europeansources.info/record/euromaidan-protests-in-ukraine-2013-2015/

ESO: Background information: Ukraine crisis: Rebels granted self-rule and amnesty http://www.europeansources.info/record/ukraine-crisis-rebels-granted-self-rule-and-amnesty-poroshenko-asks-obama-for-weapons-obtains-blankets/

Ukraine: President: News: Current events, 11.01.15: President has held a series of meetings with leaders of the EU countries, EU institutions and international organizations http://president.gov.ua/en/news/32043.html

OSCE: Newsroom: Press Release, 09.01.15: Press Statement by the Trilateral Contact Group http://www.osce.org/home/133756

Deutsche Welle, 12.01.15: No significant progress in four-way Ukraine talks in Berlin http://dw.de/p/1EJEB

EUObserver, 13.01.15: Violence, recriminations ahead of EU talks on Russia https://euobserver.com/foreign/127195

Deutsche Welle, 15.01.15: Steinmeier: Ukraine conflict 'nowhere near contained' http://dw.de/p/1ELEP

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